Developing Sustainable Surfactants

Kao has a long track record in producing fatty alcohol from oil palm fruit. In fact, we are one of the world's largest manufacturers and suppliers of oil palm-derived industrial alcohol, which is used in the Kao Group's various household products. Our proprietary technology has enabled us to make effective use of high carbon number alcohols (C16 and C18) that were previously considered to have limited applications. This breakthrough has led to the development of Bio IOS, a sustainable surfactant that is used in our new concentrated liquid detergent Attack ZERO.

Back when cotton fabrics made up the bulk of our clothing, doing the laundry meant removing simple stains such as sebum and dirt. In recent years, however, stain removal has become more complex due to the development of functional synthetic fabrics. Lifestyle changes have also led to changes in laundry routines. People now do laundry less frequently and wash larger loads at a time. That, coupled with the increased use of drum-type washers, means that clothes are now being washed in less water than before. The decrease in water has made it difficult for detergents to work effectively, resulting in the accumulation of oils and stains.